Typographical composing machine



Feb. 27, 1940. BRANDENBURG 2,191,844.

TYPOGRAPHICAL CCMPOSING MACHINE Filed NOV. 17, 1939 Patented Feb. 27, 1940 curse s'r 2,191,844 TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Application November 1'7, 1939, Serial No. 304,907

' In Germany November'el, 1938 8 Claims. (Cl. 19944) This invention relates to typographical composing machines wherein matrices stored in a magazine are released therefrom and composed I in a line. In such machines, the matrix maga- 5 zine is provided with a plurality of separate channels to accommodate the different matrix characters comprised in a complete font and the length of the magazine is such that about 20 matrices can be stored one behind the other in each channel. a

- In order to have a sufficient number of the I most frequently used matrix characters available during composition it is customary toprovide two My channels for each of the two lower-case matrix characters e{ and n which channels are automatically used in alternation. The storage of these most frequently used matrices also necessitates making the magazine of a sufficient length to accommodate 20 matrices one behind the other in a channel, although the remaining matrix characters of the font are less frequently used and a smaller number thereof would suffice so that some of the storage space available in the magazine is superfluous.

provide a magazine of such a form that the magazine channels are fully utilised so enabling the length and weight of the magazine to be reduced and the operation of magazine changingthereby facilitated. This object is achieved by decreasing the length of the magazine and increasing the number of magazine channels for the most frequently used matrix characters to an extent which is sufficient to accommodate the normal quantity of these'matrices. The matrix charac-' tors, are preferably arranged in the magazine in an order which corresponds with their frequency of use in composition there being just sufficient matrices in each channel for ordinary use. The top edges of the matrices at the upper end of the magazine are thus located along an inclined line. The magazine according to the invention is divided along this line into a stationary upper section and an interchangeable; lower section. it} In the drawing, a plan of one constructional form of. the invention is illustrated in diagrammatical form.

The customary form of magazine illustrated by a broken line a has at its lower enda width b and at its upper end a width 11 which are such as to accommodate the number of magazine channels, usually 91, which are required for storing the, different matrices in a'font. As is customary, the magazine channels converge from the upper end of the magazine towards the lower delivery end thereof. The length 0 of the magazine is such that about 20 matrices may be stored one behind the other in each channel.

According to the invention, the said length 0 of the magazine is reduced to the length d, which 5 is approximately of the length c. In order to accommodate in a magazine of such reduced length the required number of the most frequently used lower-case characters a and 11, three channels instead of two are, according to the invention, filled with lower-case e matrices and three channels instead of two are filled with lower-case n matrices. The channels are operated automatically in succession in a manner similar to the alternate operation of two channels. If, therefore, the original number of these frequently used charactersis to be retained, it is necessary to increase the width of the magazine to an extent corresponding to the width of two magazine channels as shown in the drawing ate. The increase in the amount of material required for this slight increase in width is however not comparable to the amount of metal and weight saved by the shortening of the magazine. If, therefore, two channels of 1ower-case.e and n respec- 5 tively each with 20 matrices were previously provided, three such channels each with 13 matrices are provided according to the invention so that the total number of these matrices remains substantially the same as previously used. 80

Apart'from the lower-case e and n matrices, there need notbe more than from 10 to 12 of the most frequently used matrices and from 3 to i-of the lesser used matrices in each channel. Thus the shorter magazine according to the invention need not be filled with matrices to its full capacity, and consequently it is possible to make a further saving in the weight of the magazine proper and in the amount of material hand side of the magazine. When the magazine is filled with a complete font of matrices, there being just vsufficient matrices in each channel for ordinary use as above described, the top edges of the matrices at the upper end of the magazine are located along an inclined line extending downwardly from left to right. According tothe invention, the magazine is divided along the said line so as to form a lower magazine section f and an upper magazine section 9. The magazine section a does not contain any matrices, but merely forms a lead-in from the distributor to the lower magazine section 1 in which the matrices are stored. When effecting a magazine change, the section 7 only need be removed whereas the section g is always in use and can be permanently mounted on the machine. If the machine is equipped with a plurality of magazines, that is to say a plurality of magazine sections known means may be used for shifting ever differs from this known arrangement in that the magazine is divided along an inclined line thus providing a lower magazine section which is specially adapted to the composition of a regular font of matrices.

It has been found quite satisfactory in practice to decrease the magazine length to an extent sufficient for storing from 12 to 13 of the most used matrix characters in a magazine channel. The invention, however, is not restricted to a maximum magazine length based on this number of matrices but includes magazines having a length designed to accommodate in the respective channels other numbers of matrices less than the normal number.

It will usually be found adequate if the magazine channels for the lower-case e and n characters are respectively triplicated as above described. If necessary, however, additional magazine channels may be provided for the storage of frequently used characters, but there will still be a saving of materials and weight notwithstanding the increase in width of the magazine.

An increase in the width of the magazine is not essential for the purposes of the present invention, as such increasecan be avoided if the lesser used characters, such as punctuation marks, are eliminated, and hand composed matrices are substituted therefor, so that the channels which would have been occupied by these lesser used characters may be used for storing the lower case e and n characters or any other frequently used characters. 7

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A magazine for the storage of a font of typographical matrices, of less than standard length, and greater than standard width and having a plurality of channels in each of which matrices are stored one above another, at least three adjacent channels being adapted to accommodate the matrices of one of the most frequently used characters of the font.

2. A magazine for the storage of a font of typographical matrices, of less than standard length and greater than standard width, comprising an upper entrance section and a lower storage section and having a plurality of channels in each of which matrices are stored one above another,

at least three adjacent channels being adapted to accommodate the matrices of one of the most frequently used characters of the font.

3. A magazine for the storage of a font of typographical matrices, of less than standard length and greater than standard width, comprising an upper entrance section and a lower storage section the said sections mutually abutting in a plane inclined transversely, of the magazine, and having a plurality of channels in each of which matrices are stored one above another, at least three adjacent channels being adapted to accommodate the matrices of one of the most frequently used characters of the font.

4.-For the storage of a font of typographical matrices consisting of numbers of matrices of individual characters varying in accordance with thefrequency of use of the respective characters, a magazine of less than standard length and greater than standard width comprising an upper entrance section and a lower storage section having a plurality of channels in which matrices are stored in an order which correspondswith their frequency of use, said upper and lower sections mutually abutting in a plane inclined transversely of the magazine in accordance with the orderof the decreasing number of matrices in the respective channels. I

5. For the storage of a font of typographical matrices consisting of numbers of matrices of individual characters varying in accordance with the frequency of use of the respective characters, a magazine of less than standard length and greater than standard Width'comprising an upper entrance section and a lower storage section having a plurality of channels in which matrices are stored in an order which corresponds with theirfrequency of use, at least three adjacent channels being adapted to accommodate the matrices of one of themost frequently used characters, said upper and lower sections mutually abutting in a plane inclined transversely of the magazine in accordance with the order of the decreasing number of matrices in the respective channels.

6. For the storage of a'font of typographical.

matrices consisting of numbers of matrices of individual characters varying in accordance with the frequency of use of the respective characters,

a magazine of less than standard length and greater than standard width comprising a fixed upper entrance section and an interchangeable lower storage section having a plurality of chanan upper entrance section and a lower storage section the said sections mutually abutting in a plane inclined transversely of the magazine.

8. For the storage of a font of typographical matrices consistingof numbers of matrices of in dividual characters varying in accordance with the frequency of use of the respective characters, a magazine of less than standard length and having a plurality ofchannels in which matrices are stored in an order which corresponds with their frequencyof use, said magazine terminating at its upper end in a plane inclined transversely of the magazine in accordance with the order of the decreasing number of matrices in the respective channels. a

. HERMANN BRANDENB R Q 1. 

